NorthStar EXPLORER AP380 Installation And Operation Manual
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NorthStar EXPLORER AP380 Installation And Operation Manual

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  • Page 1 Explorer AP380 Autopilot Installation and Operation Manual www.northstarnav.com...
  • Page 3 Connect the equipment into an output on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help. A shielded cable must be used when connecting a peripheral to the serial ports. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    1-1 A typical Explorer AP380 system installation ........6 1-2 Using the Explorer AP380 system with other instruments ......7 2 Explorer AP380 system hardware ......................8...

  • Page 5: Important

    Using the Explorer AP380 system : The Explorer AP380 system is intended as an aid to save a helmsman from having to steer for long periods of time, not as the main means of steering the boat.

  • Page 6: Introduction

    Explorer AP380 display unit. Cleaning and maintenance To install a Explorer AP380 system, you must Clean the parts of the Explorer AP380 system with perform installation, dockside setup and sea trials a damp cloth or mild detergent. Avoid abrasive (see sections 3, 4 and 5).

  • Page 7: Using The Explorer Ap380 System With Other Instruments

    1-2 Using the Explorer AP380 system with other instruments 1-2-1 Using other instruments If you change the backlight in an instrument in group 1, 2, 3 or 4 then the backlight The Explorer AP380 system can use data from will automatically change in the other these instruments: instruments in the same group.

  • Page 8: Explorer Ap380 System Hardware

    GPS instrument: SOG (from VTG sentences) is optional and improves performance. Note: If the Explorer AP380 system is connected to a Northstar series wind or speed instrument using NavBus, then the Explorer AP380 system will automatically receive and use the wind or speed data, and the NMEA connection need not be wired.

  • Page 9: Other Parts Required

    250 mA total, fit a A heavy duty supply for the steering drive relay. A light duty supply for the Explorer AP380 Other marine instruments (optional): Wind, system electronics and display unit; this speed or GPS instruments can be connected (see supply also powers any additional display section 1-2).

  • Page 10: Installation Guide

    3-2 Installation guide This is a general guide for locating and wiring the parts of the Explorer AP380 system. The instructions for a particular part may have additional requirements. 3-2-1 Location guide 3-2-2 Wiring guide Do not mount any part where it can be used...

  • Page 11: Installing The Mcu600 (Main Control Unit)

    Mount the unit with the cable connectors at the bottom or to one side, using the screws provided. Do not mount the unit with the connectors at the top, because dust or moisture might enter the unit. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 12: Installing The Power Supplies And Steering Drive

    Follow the wiring guide (see section 3-2-2). Power supply: one switch configuration Choose this configuration to have one switch to turn the Explorer AP380 system and any other 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 instruments on and off.
  • Page 13 4 mm 4 mm 6 mm 6 mm 10 mm 10 mm 16 mm 20 amp 2.5 mm 4 mm 6 mm 10 mm 10 mm 16 mm 16 mm 16 mm Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 14 Example of hydraulic steering with hydraulic help pump. In the Setup > Vessel menu (See Explorer AP380 Operation Section), set Drive Type to Motor. MCU600 Fit strain relief No connection Heavy duty power (see section 3-4-1) Wiring polarity does not matter.
  • Page 15 Note: Relay is required if the clutch circuit is greater than 300 mA. Installing a continuous running pump and solenoid valves. In the Setup > Vessel menu (See Explorer AP380 system Operation Section), set Drive Type to Spool ground. MCU600 Fit strain relief...
  • Page 16 Installing solenoid valves or relays with jog or electric steering In the Setup > Vessel menu (See Explorer AP380 Operation Section), set Drive Type to Spool ground. MCU600 Fit strain relief No connection Heavy duty power (see section 3-4-1) Starboard...

  • Page 17: Installing The Rfu (Rudder Feedback Unit)

    Thread = M5 if required. Note The unit is completely waterproof but should not be immersed. Mount the unit on a panel which does not vibrate. Follow the location guide (see section 3-2-1). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 18 Not recommended: Z-shaped arrangement, with arm not parallel to length of boat, for for example: example: Bow of boat If rudder turns too far, the unit might not return to the Z shape. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 19 Wire the cable back to the MCU600, following the wiring guide (see section 3-2-2). MCU600 Holes in the bulkheads must be at least 18.5 mm (0.73”) diameter. Plug connector into the RFU socket Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 20: Installing The Compass

    1 m (3 ft) above the hull and at least 1 m 1 m, (3 ft) above hull: (3 ft) from the cabin: At least 1 m (3 ft) 1 m (3 ft) 1 m (3 ft) Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 21 18.5 mm (0.73 in) diameter. Plug connector into the Compass/HS socket Note If you move the compass with respect to the gyro while the power is on, wait for the heading to stabilize. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 22: Installing The Gyro

    The unit is completely waterproof but should not be immersed. Follow the location guide (see section 3-2-1). The Ideal location is at the centre of movement (for planing hulls, the centre of movement is usually close to the stern). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 23: Installing The Explorer Ap380 Display Unit And Other Instruments

    Note If you move the gyro with respect to the compass while the power is on, wait for the heading to stabilise. 3-8 Installing the Explorer AP380 display unit and other instruments Flush mounting directions There are two mounting arrangements:...
  • Page 24 Protected from physical damage during • rough sea passages. Easy to access the DC power source. • Convenient to route the transducer cables. • PP  PP  PP  Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 25 Wire the display unit power wires (red and black wires) to the eight way connector terminals 1 and 2 to ensure the display unit and main control unit have the same light duty power supply. • Follow the wiring guide (see section 3-2-2). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 26 If adding more than three display units or other series instruments, fit a separate light-duty power supply for the extra instruments (see section 3-4 or the instrument’s installation manual) The external alarm outputs (green wire) of Northstar series instruments and 500 series chartplotters can be connected together to drive the external beepers and lights.

  • Page 27: Dockside Setup

    Press ESC, fix the problem and repeat the calibration. In normal operation, the Explorer AP380 system will not turn the rudder closer than 3° to an endstop. To calibrate the rudder feedback unit go to Rudder in the Setup > Calibrate menu. Follow the on-screen instructions presented by the calibration wizard (See Explorer AP380 Operation Section).

  • Page 28: Sea Trials

    5-2-1 Aligning the compass (Align heading) This aligns the Explorer AP380 system compass to display the correct heading. The compass can be aligned either to a reference compass or to a GPS connected to the Explorer AP380 system. Ensure there is no cross-wind or current.

  • Page 29: Appendix A - Specifications - Mcu600

    30 V DC, 300 mA maximum MCU600 Internal Fuse: 2x fuses - both fuses are the same Type: ATC - Automotive blade Rating: 20A Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 30: Appendix B - Specifications - Ap380 Display

    Power negative Orange NavBus + Blue NavBus - Yellow Factory use (isolate, do not cut) White Factory use (isolate, do not cut) Green Factory use (isolate, do not cut) Brown +9V out Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 31: Appendix C - User Data

    Turn rate Menu > Setup > VESSEL menu Vessel Type Drive Type Wind features selected Menu > Setup > ALARMS menu Course error Waypoint akn Wind shift (sail only) Low battery High current Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 32 Menu > Setup > PROFILES menu Profile (user1) Parameters: Adaptive Response Ratio Advanced: Trim C-rudder GPS gain Wind gain Profile (user2) Parameters: Adaptive Response Ratio Advanced: Trim C-rudder GPS gain Wind gain Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 33 C-rudder GPS gain Wind gain Profile (user 4) Parameters: Adaptive Response Ratio Advanced: Trim C-rudder GPS gain Wind gain Profile (user5) Parameters: Adaptive Response Ratio Advanced: Trim C-rudder GPS gain Wind gain Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 34: Operation Section

    Explorer AP380 Autopilot Operation Section www.northstarnav.com...
  • Page 35 3-3 Turning the Explorer AP380 off ........
  • Page 36 8-3 Adjusting the steering parameters ..........71 9 Troubleshooting ..........................73 10 Specifications ............................ 74 Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 37: Using This Manual

    Cleaning and maintenance This mode requires a wind instrument, such as a Northstar Explorer W310 to be connected via Clean the parts of the Explorer AP380 with a NavBus or NMEA. damp cloth or mild detergent. Avoid abrasive cleaners, petrol or other solvents. Do not paint...

  • Page 38: Quickstart

    2. Manually steer the boat using the boats 3. If using GPS mode, start navigating to a steering helm. waypoint using the GPS instrument. 3. To re-engage the AP380, press 4. Engage the AP380 by pressing Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 39: Action In An Emergency

    To manually steer the boat: 3. The AP380 will turn the rudder until it is in the target position. 1. Press . The AP380 is now disengaged and you have complete steering control. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 40: Ap380 Operation

    Opens turn menu to access tack/gybe, 90° turns and 180° turns AUTO Places AP380 into auto mode MODE Invokes steering mode menu STBY Places AP380 into standby mode Power Press and hold to turn instrument off. Single press shows backlight control Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 41: Turning The Explorer Ap380 On

    If there are no other AP380 display heads on Tip: Repeated pressing will cycle through the system, The Explorer AP380 will turn on the menu selection. and enter STBY (Standby) mode. Note: If the AP380 was switched off while still...

  • Page 42: Turning The Explorer Ap380 Off

    , choose display and keypad backlighting. GPS and press • The Explorer AP380 has a choice of white For a sailing boat: background ‘Day’ and black background To steer to a set compass heading, choose ‘Night’ backlighting modes. Either mode can Compass mode.

  • Page 43: Changing Course

    To engage the AP380 in GPS mode, the GPS must GPS mode. be navigating to a waypoint or along a route; otherwise the Explorer AP380 will display an error Note for sailing boats: message. If the boat is too far from the plotted •...

  • Page 44: Dodge

    3-9-1 Dodging in compass mode Press to continue Heading = 45° on the new CTS = 45° heading Press to resume the earlier CTS changes by the dodge angle. heading Boat comes to new heading. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 45 3-9-2 Dodging in GPS mode The Explorer AP380 will steer back to the GPS plotted course. Make sure there are no obstacles or dangerous waters in the way. Press to resume the earlier heading WARNING: The Explorer AP380 will steer back to the GPS plotted course.

  • Page 46: Turn Modes

    3-10 Turn modes The Explorer AP380 can follow a preprogrammed turn sequence. The AP380 has three different turn modes: 90º turn: The boat 180º turn: The boat Tack/Gybe: turns through 90º turns through 180º Auto-tacks the boat after a delay period. The tack...
  • Page 47 Options menu (see section 6-3). Gybe angle is not used in Compass mode. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 48 ). The boat turns. To cancel the tack at any time, press The boat sails straight while the Explorer AP380 counts down the tack delay. The unit gives a long beep at 60 and 30 seconds to go, a short beep every second from 10 seconds to 1 second to go and a long beep that finishes when the countdown ends.
  • Page 49 Note: To view or change the tack mode, tack angle, gybe mode, gybe angle or tack delay, go to the Options menu (see section 6-3). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 50: Power Steering

    There are also alarms that can be enabled to automatically detect certain conditions, such as low battery. Alarms that are enabled are shown as black icons in the alarm status box on the Explorer AP380 header. When an alarm is triggered: •...

  • Page 51: Keylock

    Go to Menu > Setup > Alarms > Alarm History. Turn the Control Dial to select an alarm in the list and press to see the Alarm details. Turn the Control Dial to stop the Explorer AP380 from beeping. 3-12-4 Alarm details Select ‘Details’ to acknowledge the displayed...

  • Page 52: The Displays

    Course error – Shows a course error bar in the info panel. Rudder angle – Shows a rudder angle gauge in the Basic displays info panel. XTE – Shows a cross track error bar in the info panel. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 53: Display > Autopilot

    Data setup Enters the data set-up mode. Use the Control Dial to highlight a data cell, press to display a list of data types that can be displayed in that cell. AutoPilot displays Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 54: Display > Compass

    Rudder angle – Shows rudder angle using the deviation bar. Compass displays XTE – Shows a cross track error bar using the deviation bar. Header – Menu for configuring the data header in this display (see section 5). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 55: Display > Data

    Time base - Selects the time base of the history graph. Select 2 min, 4 min, 10 min, 20 min or 1 hour. Data display 4-5 Display > Active alarms Shows a list of the currently active alarms (see section 3-12-2). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 56: Data Headers

    Use the Control Dial to highlight a data cell, press to display a list of data types that can be displayed in that cell. Size Selects the size of the data header items. Select Small, Medium or Large. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 57: Menus

    Setup menu is displayed (normally twice). • To discard changes press The Setup menu and options are summarized Note: Some menu items in the Explorer AP380 menus utilize checkboxes. in this chapter. The factory default settings are shown where applicable. Each Setup menu •...

  • Page 58: Setup > Profiles

    Minimum = 50˚; maximum = 160˚ Controls whether wind features such as Gybe mode Tack/Gybe are accessible. Off – gybing is disabled. Auto – vessel gybes to the same set wind angle but on the opposing tack. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 59: Setup > Alarms

    All wind readings are displayed in the Set OFF or a value in Volts. selected units. Minimum = 7; maximum = 14 (Volts) App (Apparent), True (True) Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 60: Setup > Comms

    Slowly turn boat 2.5 times, observing the Turn simulate mode on and off turn rate indicator (see section 3-14). • Align heading – press and dial in the current heading • Accept calibration • Calibration complete Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 61: Steering Modes

    3-7. In Compass mode, the AP380 steers the boat to a set course, called CTS (Course to steer). 7-1-1 Compass steering data Actual boat heading is 45° Course error = 10° CTS (course to steer, the intended AP380 course) 55° Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 62 Heading = 45° The Explorer AP380 sets CTS (course to steer) to the CTS = 45° current heading, in this example 45°, and starts steering on this course.

  • Page 63: Gps Steering Mode

    The distance from the boat to the nearest point of the plotted course. XTE may have a letter: R means steer to the right to return to the plotted course, L means steer to the left. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 64 When the Explorer AP380 is engaged, if the XTE is more than 0.05 nm or the boat heading is not within 30° of BRG then the Explorer AP380 displays...
  • Page 65 In GPS mode, The GPS gain determines how much correction is applied to remove cross track error. A high setting will cause the AP380 to steer quickly back towards the track. A low setting will cause the AP380 to steer very gently back towards the track. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 66: Wind Steering Mode

    The desired wind angle. TRUE True wind angle The true wind angle at the boat. P in front of the angle means the wind is from port, S means that the wind is from starboard. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 67 15 kts True Apparent True wind speed Apparent wind wind wind direction 20 kts speed 15 kts speed direction 135º 20 kts 107º Boat speed 10 kts Boat speed 10 kts Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 68 The Explorer AP380 sets CTS (course to steer) to the current heading, in this example 45°, sets SWA (set wind angle) to the current wind angle and starts Wind steering at this wind angle.

  • Page 69: Optimising Steering Performance

    The range is 1 (small corrections) to 10 (large between the set wind angle and the actual corrections). wind angle. • The range is 1 (slowly affected by wind change) to 10 (sensitive to wind change). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 70: Profiles

    • For higher and/or more stable winds, increase wind gain; for lower and/or unstable winds, Note: When using more than one Explorer AP380, decrease wind gain. profile names are not transferred between units. So when naming profiles, be sure to name the Ideally, in AUTO the AP380 should steer the boat profile on each Explorer AP380.

  • Page 71: Adjusting The Steering Parameters

    Problem: after a large course change, boat overshoots and oscillates before settling to new course Increase counter rudder gain Problem: after a large course change, boat takes too long to settle to new course Decrease counter rudder gain Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 72 Boat takes much less than one minute to trim Sideways force starts Decrease trim gain 1 minute Problem: drifts off GPS course Increase GPS gain. Problem: boat oscillated around GPS course Decrease GPS gain. Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 73: Troubleshooting

    If the boat drifts too far from the course, adjust response, ratio, counter rudder gain, GPS gain (if AP380 is in GPS mode) or wind gain (if AP380 is in wind mode) (see section 8-1). Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...

  • Page 74: Specifications

    Power negative Orange NavBus + Blue NavBus - Yellow Factory use (isolate, do not cut) White Factory use (isolate, do not cut) Green Factory use (isolate, do not cut) Brown +9V out Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 75 Northstar Explorer AP380 System Installation and Operation Manual...
  • Page 76 www.northstarnav.com Made in New Zealand MN000624A-G...

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